Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My big girl dropped 41 eggs Monday and Monday night. I also have a male, and they're allowed out of their enclosures occasionally to frolic and explore. I think they did more than that this last fall, and so there's a resonably good chance that the eggs are fertile. I managed to move a dozen or so of them into a makeshift incubator Monday afternoon. She dropped the rest Monday evening/night, and by Tuesday morning when I found them they were mostly turning hard/wrinkled.

I've never had intentions of breeding them, but sometimes Nature has other plans. So I'm in a bit of a moral dilemma: I hate to destroy the eggs that still have a chance, but then again I don't want to bring more iguanas into a place and time where there already are more of them than there are good homes for them. What do you think I should do? (Jeez, I feel like I'm writing to Dear Abby!)

One other thing: She's still clawing and scratching relentlessly within her enclosure. Is it possible she hasn't dropped all of her eggs yet?

Thanks for any and all opinions/advice,
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MichaelB

I don't see any moral conflict with destroying eggs that could hatch into potentially unwanted, abused, or neglected pets. Put the eggs into the freezer for 24 hours and then dispose of them. You will forever have my respect and I'm reasonably sure the respect of many other posters here.

I agree.
Maybe if you feel bad about freezing them you can find a friend with a monitor or snake that would make short work of them. I guess it's a bit more natural.
You're right to have a reservation about destroying the egss, but you're not doing it for your convenience alone. You will save a lot of suffering.
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BeDreamin

Thank you for your supportive responses. I had a heck of a time keeping the temperature stable in my homemade incubator, so they probably wouldn't have made it anyway.

I'll probably take her to the vet on Monday. She's still acting like she wants to lay more eggs (persistent digging, clawing, scratching, etc. ). Either that or she's looking for the eggs I stole from her! In any case, I need to make sure she isn't eggbound.
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MichaelB